Camera



Aug 13, 1940. c. w. BUCKHAM CAMERA 3 Sheetsheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1939 1 \NVENTOR WITNESSES Charles uZBuc/clzwn 4 v 1 a;- I I' I ATTORZEYS Aug. 13 1940. c. w. BUCKHAM CAMERA Filed Feb. 17, 1959 3' Sheets-Sfieet 2 INVENTOR wn-NassEs ChavlesQlZBzcc/fhfl! BY ATTORNEYS Patented gm. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAMERA Charles W. Buckham, Scandals, N. Y.

App ication February 17, 1939, Serial No. 256,835

' a Qlaims. (01. 95-2) This invention relates to cameras and particularly to an improved camera for focusing a plurality of camera units on a single object at the same time, the structure being such that a section of a single film is presented for exposure in each of the units when the camera is in use.

An additional object is to provide a camera having a plurality of camera units with one stationary unit and swinging units on each side thereof arranged to function at any desired angle between the swinging units and the stationary unit to secure desired stereoscopic effects. Another object of the invention is to provide a camera having multiple units for securing colored photographs, the same utflizing standard roll films r films having zones sensitive to the three primary colors.

vAn additional object is to provide a camera formed with focusing means and an improved lever for actuating said focusing means by swinging the lever from one position to the other.

In theaccompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a sectional view through Fig. 3 approximately on the line l-l, the same illus-- 2g trating an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in diagram and partly in section illustrating the shutter actuating mechanism;

Fig. 1 approximately on the line 33;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the camera units swung to the opposite extreme pos t on:

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary sectional view illustrating certain parts of the unit actuating mechanism;

Fig. 6. is a fragmentary sectional view Fig. 1 approximately on the line 8-6;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view through Fig. 4 approximatelyon the line 1-1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through Fig. 1 ap-- proximately onthe'line-H, illustrating that part of the mechanism which is adapted to be vhhligii isa diagram illustrating how the varicus camera-units may be automatically and a quickly focused on objects at diiferent distances;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 12 is a plan view of a short portion of a special film. e As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, l indicates a casing which may be of wood or other suitable material. Arranged within this 5 casing are camera units 2, 3 and 4. Each of these units is provided with a tubular member 5 carrying a color screen 6, which may be readily removed, and the usual lens 5. The three camera units are connected together by p'ivot pins land 10 8,,which also act to guide the film in its movement from the fresh spool 9 to the e po ed spool ill. The unit 3 is always stationary and is aimed directly ahead, while the units 2 and 3 may be swung back andforth upon the actuation of the hand lever il. i

According to the disclosure in the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the unitsfocusedon an object as close to the camera as a proper focus can be secured. Fig. 4 shows the units 2 and lswungso as to focus on an object at some distance from the camera, as for instance fifty or one hundred feet. If desired, the mechanism for swinging the units 2 and 4 could be arranged to swing these units so that the tubular members 5 thereof will be parallel to the tubular member of the unit 3. The casing I is made double at the front so that the sliding plates 12 and i3 may freely slide back and forth. These plates are rigidly connected with the tubular members 5. of units so 2 and l and as these units swing on the pins 1 and 8 the arc of plates i2 and B will be made accordingly. As all the tubular members! are identical and the associated parts are identical, a description of one will apply to all.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, tubular member 5" connects with an enlargement il in which the shutter I5 is arranged. The enlargement l4 merges into a tubular section It which slidingly fits into the end section I! of aframe Hi. This frame, as shown in Fig. 9, is provided with a converging part I! merging into the upstanding bifurcated walls 20 and 2|. These walls' merge into the respective upstanding flanges 22 and 23 of the base 24. Plus 25 and 26 extend outwardly from the tubular member l6 and slotted levers 21 and 22"fit thereover. Both of these levers are rigidly securedto a shaft 29 pivotally mounted in extensions 30- and- 3|. A' link 32 is rigidly secured to shaft 29 and is provided with a pin 22 extending through a slot" (Fig. 1) in a camplate 25 which is rigidly secured to the casing. A pin 26 (Fig. 9) is pivotally connected with a link 21, which link has one end pivotally connected at "to the hand lever Ii which hand as lever is pivotally connected at 39 on the frame i As the unit 2 swings to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, the focal distance will become greater and greater, and the slot 36 and associated parts are proportioned to take care of this variation in focal length so that whenever the unit stops it will be in focus with the object at which it is aimed. The unit 6 will act in a similar manner to unit 2. Unit 3 will not swing but the tubular member 5 and associated parts will move inwardly and outwardly so as to vary the focus to the same extent as the other two units and simultaneously therewith. The lever i I is connected at the same distance on each side of the pivotal mounting 39 to the respective links 31 and 31' but at a different point it is connected to the lever 40 which is pivotally connected at M to a link 42 which is connected to the rod 28 of the focusing mechanism. 1

By reason of the above-mentioned construction, the focusing mechanism of all the units will function simultaneously and at the same time. It will be evident, however, that if desired links 81 and 31' could be eliminated or temporarily removed and then only the center unit 3 would function. By removing the color screen 6 from this central unit, the unit would function as an ordinary film camera with a quick focusing mechanism. Preferably the respective screens 6 are such as to screen out all but red, blue and yellow. For instance, the unit 2 could be sensitive to red, unit 3 sensitive to blue, and unit 4 sensitive to yellow. In this way threeseparate films of the same object would be secured and the picture would be stereoscopic. After these negatives have been taken, the usual process for producing colored prints would be carried out.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the fresh film spool 9 is mounted on suitable brackets 8' carried by the section 4 while the exposed film spool I8 is mounted on brackets I 8' which is secured to the unit 2 I The casing I is provided with a cover 43, as shown in Fig. 8, and this cover carries the respective walls 44 and 45 of the various units.- These walls have one edge slidably fitting in the walls and 2| .(Fig. 9)' so that these walls may rest on the base 24 when the parts, are in fully functioning position. The pins 46 and 41, as well as pins 1 and 8, all act as rollers and are rotatably mounted in the top and bottom plates 48 and 49, as indicated particularly in Fig. 6. As shown in this figure, these pins all rotate as they have pintle members 50 and 5| rotatably extending through the respective top and bottom walls'48 and 49. In addition there are provided rollers 52 and 53 (Fig. 1) which are carried by the top and bottom walls 48 and 49 which hold the filmin place as the film moves over rollers I and 8.

It will be evident that when the camera is-work; ing in the usual way, there are three exposures at one time and then the spool l8 must be rotated until all the units are provided with new exposures. Preferably the film is numbered in groups of three and when a number is opposite the center of unit 8 all exposure sections or zones her on the film indicated by 65 (Fig. 3) comes I opposite this window the cameraman realizes that he has a new film for each of his units. A stem I8" extends from the spool i8 through a suitable slot 57, as shown in Fig. 10, and is secured to the thumb member 58, whereby the spool It may be readily actuated. A sliding plate 59 is connected with the stem it" so as always to maintain a light-tight connection as the unit swings back and forth. The sliding plate 59 is supported by suitable runways 60, as shown particularly in Figs. 6' and 10. The same construction is provided with spool 8 so as to take care of the back-and-forth swinging movement of theunit ll as it is moved to different focusing positions. I

When the camera is to be reloaded, the cover 53. is raised bodily upwardly and carries with it the various walls 46 and 45 of the respective units and also the top and bottom plates 68 and 49 together with all of the rollers The construction shown in Fig. 9 remains in the casing and also the lever H and associated parts, as well as the shutter-actuating mechanism hereinafter fully described. After the parts have been removed as shown in Fig. 8, the exposed film is removed and a new. film provided. After the parts have been replaced the thumb member 58 is rotated until the first number is opposite the window it. The camera is then ready for use.

In regard to the shutter mechanism, it is to be understood that any suitable or desired shutter mechanism may be used, provided each shutter is provided with a pin or small bar6l, as shown in Fig. 2. The various bellcrank levers 82, 63 and 64 act on these pins to swing them to a functioning position. The respective springs 65, 6B and 61 act to pull these bell crank levers back to their starting or non-functioningposition, which is 11- lustrated in Fig. 2. The respective pins 68, 69 and i0 limit the return movement of these levers. These levers are connected, respectively, to the cables H, 72 and 13, which cables pass over the respective rolls l4 and 15 and then over the roller 18. From roller 16, these cables-extend to a lever 11 to which they are secured at one end. A retractile spring l8l1olds lever 11 againsta stop 19. Lever I1 is connected to'a shaft 80 which extends to a position exterior of the casing I and has a hand lever 8| rigidly secured is pushed or pulled in a certain direction, the cables willall be pulledagainst the action of thesprings 65, 66, 61 and 68. This will cause tions are arranged in a plurality of zones with three sections in each zone. By using this film Withthis type of film the camera'is used in the usual way as heretoforedescribed and when /allof the film has been exposed it is removed and developed and fixed in the usual way.

, thereto, as shown in Fig. 5. When the hand lever the various color screens 6 are not necessary.

having a shutter mechanism, a lens and a color screen; a mechanism for swinging the side units and simultaneously setting the focus of all three units so that all units will be focused correctly on the same object at the same time, a single film extending across all of said' units'and presenting an exposure zone for each unit, means for simultaneously actuatingthe shutters of the units so as to provide simultaneously three exposures of the same object, andmanually actuated means for shifting the film so that the exposed parts will be moved away from the three units and unexposed parts of the film will be moved into functioning position with respect to the three units.

2. A camera including a stationary camera unit, a pair of swingable camera units, all of said units being formed identical in structure, each unitbeing provided with a lens and sliding means for carrying said lens so that the lens may be moved back and forth to secure a desired focus, a pivotally mounted lever for moving said sliding means back and forth, a single hand-actuated lever for actuating all of the first-mentioned levers simultaneously, means actuated by the hand-actuated lever for swinging two of said camera units in proportion to the movement of the focusing mechanism whereby all units will be aimed at the same object and brought into focus at the same time, each of said units having a shutter, and a member for causing said shutters to function.

3. A camera having a central stationary camera unit, an auxiliary camera unit on each side of the stationary unit, means for 'swingably mounting said auxiliary camera units adjacent the respective rear edges of the stationary camera unit, each of the camera units being provided with a lens and sliding means carrying said lenses so that the lenses may be moved back,and forth for focusing purposes, means for guiding a film to a position at the rear ofthe respective camera units so that the sensitized side will face the lenses in the respective camera units, a pivotally mounted primary lever for each of said sliding means for moving the sliding means back and forth, a single pivotally mounted hand-actuated lever pivotally attached to the primary levers for actuating the respective sliding means and simultaneously swinging said auxiliary camera units in proportion to the sliding movement of the sliding means, whereby all three camera units will be brought into focus and aimed at the same object at the same time.

CHARLES W. BUCKHAM. 

